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LeadingAge Missouri was founded in 1969 and is devoted to furthering the interests across the entire continuum of senior care including nursing facilities, assisted and residential care communities, senior housing communities, adult day providers, home health providers, hospice providers, and other home and community based providers.

LeadingAge Missouri's vision is of a long term care system that offers accessible, affordable, high-quality and innovative health care, housing, and community services in a manner in which self-determination, compassion, benevolence, individual integrity, diversity, and social responsibility are valued and promoted.

LeadingAge Missouri members believe in a three-part commitment to providing long-term care:

1. A holistic approach to care. Working toward the goal of meeting the total physical, social, psychological, emotional and spiritual needs of the individuals we serve.

2. Community outreach and involvement by and within our facilities in an effort to enhance the quality of life of Missouri's elderly residents. This is achieved through working with volunteer trustees, community leaders, family members and volunteers.

3. Continuum of Care. Building on the established role of homes and services for the aging by identifying, developing and offering a full range of affordable long-term housing and health care services in and around our communities.

LeadingAge Missouri's History

On December 2, 1968 fourteen individuals representing not-for-profit homes for the aging from across Missouri met in Columbia to discuss the need for and purpose of a Missouri State Association of Homes for the Aging.

It was reported that there were at least 130 non-profit homes in Missouri (mostly church-related), a few county homes, a few fraternal homes, and some non-sectarian homes. The group discussed tax exemption, the value of the non-profit homes to the local community, and the need for a common and united voice at the state and local level. The unique characteristics of non-profit homes were characterized as:

A philosophy of admitting and keeping in the home aged persons, regardless of their ability to pay for care.

A philosophy of quality and standards of care that are patient oriented.

A philosophy of business and professional ethics with high standards.

A philosophy of providing services that benefit the community.

A philosophy of "voluntarism”--that of providing for people within the scope and resources of the community.

On April 17 and 18, 1969 representatives from the long-term care organizations met in Columbia to officially form the Missouri Association of Homes for the Aging.

On May 15, 1969 the Missouri Association of Homes for the Aging was incorporated in the State of Missouri as a general not-for-profit corporation. According to the articles of incorporation the organization was formed "not for profit and exclusively for charitable, benevolent, educational and scientific purposes in developing, promoting, advising, studying, researching and administering for the benefit of member organizations engaged primarily in operating and providing services for the aging.”

On January 25, 2011, the Missouri Association of Homes for the Aging became LeadingAge Missouri. This name change resulted from a comprehensive study that showed that members believed a new name and better alignment between the state affiliate and the national association would create a more effective association.

The goals and purposes upon which LeadingAge Missouri was founded and the groundwork laid by the founders have successfully steered LeadingAge Missouri along its course of service to the mission-driven aging service provider industry during the last 30+ years. Likewise, the unique characteristics of mission-driven organizations identified by the founders remain true in the 21st century: charitable care, high quality and standards of care that are resident centered, high ethical business and professional standards, and providing services that benefit the local community.